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I was born and raised in Pittsburgh where “Here we go” is followed by “Steelers.” The MNF game last night between the Steelers and San Diego Chargers was a lucky win for my team. A friend of mine is fond of saying, “I’d rather be lucky than good.” I think if you work hard enough towards a goal, luck just might find you. I hope I’m right.

I can tell you that Bjorn Jacobsen is working hard on his PA tour. The NEPA leg included two Wilkes-Barre gigs and shows in Bloomsburg, Williamsport, State College, West Chester, Lancaster and East York: eight shows in ten days. I was lucky to be his host, wheel man, sound man and big fan on five of those nights and I’m looking forward to a few more before Boy Wander heads back to NOLA. His singing is stronger than ever and he still thrashes that acoustic guitar. There was a brief sighting of Amanda and baby Adelei at DipCo and jeepers that baby is cute! Bjorn is opening my big show this Friday 10/16 at Elks Lodge. Come see how strong and lucky The Wayfarer has become!

If you want to see work that’s play, join us for Music Fridays in Lancaster at The BPOE Elks Lodge Ballroom this Friday. Bjorn opens with some jangly, rootsy tales of love and woe. Soul singer Jamall Anthony from Coatesville is in the middle. Maybe you saw one of his LAUNCH Music Conference shows or have heard him on 93.7 WSTW? This guy can really sing and this could be an, “I saw him when…” moment for all of us! Here’s a bit of what made me say YEAH two years ago at LAUNCH.

Shrimpboat is the 8-piece super-group that means PARTY in Lancaster. They’ve played all the biggest events in town since forming: NYE, Celebrate Lancaster, FlyFest, The Long’s Park Summer Concert Series etc. Their stated mission is to get hips shaking. They do it and make it look easy. Come get some easy!

As the stage doors at DipCo swing shut (one showcase left), a window is swinging open at Federal Taphouse. I’ve been asked to book a series of performances there between now and Christmas. First up will be Skribe on Friday October 23rd! As I left the meeting confirming this experiment at Taphouse, thinking, “Ok, who do I get to play in two weeks?” I received a call from Skribe. A venue had just cancelled a 10/23 gig on him and could I find something along his tour route? I don’t know what to call that but luck. If you’ve seen Skribe, you know how lucky we all are! If you haven’t, your lucky day is 10/23 when you get to see him for free, eat artisan, wood-fired pizza and drink craft beer.

So I got lucky trying to do good for a local business and a touring musician friend. It’s been a mantra at Gigspots and the folks I work with are doing well. It’s also what motivates me to work harder. I’m about to add ten new venues to Gigspots.com. It will be a lot more work but I believe I’m serving the community. I believe if you do good, luck finds you. Doing good and doing well are not synonymous though. Doing good is about rewards for others. Doing well is about rewards for you. The luckiest people find ways to accomplish both.

I just spent a week in Denver, CO. The elevation greeted me pleasantly and low humidity kept me cool. The trip centered on friends so I caught no shows. Amos Lee and David Gray played Red Rocks while I was there and Blues Traveler was headlining on the Fourth of July. My wife and I (still the best date) passed many hours downtown in fabulous craft breweries and cantinas but never saw any live music. There were a few buskers and a Zac Brown concert at Coors Field. LoDo, or lower downtown, kept its rhythm with piped-in hits of the moment or those you’ve known for decades. People sing along and sway. The city was beautiful and clean, fresh yet historic. I don’t know how those people stay so fit with all the great food and beer at their fingertips. I will say downtown Denver is quite foot and bike friendly as are the people.

On July 9-11 I’ll be hosting a Gigspots Premiere Showcase at Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport. I love this place with all my heart and I’m thrilled to have three nights in a row to share some music they have not heard. Stolen Rhodes is touring nationally and Thursday 7/9 fit perfectly for their first visit to Billtown. Lavacave makes their first appearance Friday 7/10 at Bullfrog although Robin Chambers has appeared there before with Bjorn Jacobsen and Nick DiSanto’s brother Leo has played there plenty: as a duo with Jeff Bryson and also as part of The Vinegar Creek Constituency. On Saturday night, those wild boys Medusa’s Disco will play a rarely-seen acoustic show. What a first impression! My name for it is “acousticophonic:” an unplugged cacophony.

Bullfrog Brewery is the only place you’ll catch me the rest of this week. Besides staging these shows, I’ll be hosting Loyalstock and living in a tent. The only electronic signals I’ll be receiving will come from stars and fireflies. I’ll be back in time to fly my Gigspots banner at Ladybug Music Festival in Wilmington, DE on Thursday July 16. Friday July 17 is Sweet Leda at Reading Band Shell. Sunday July 18 I’ll be at Long’s Park for Lake Street Dive. All three of these events are FREE! Till then, it’s me, the bugs, the creek, the music and a pile of some of the greatest people I know. Pie for breakfast. Late night campfires. Tubing in between and Bullfrog Billtown Blonde on tap. Seizure later!

I recently blogged about new happenings in the Lancaster music scene for my FigLancaster.com column. I announced here that I’m working with Rich Ruoff to help stage Lancaster Roots and Blues festival. How do I follow that up? I get out of town! I love Lancaster and our scene but hey, it’s a big world out there. So I’ve been recruiting new client venues and bands all across Gigspotsland. I’ll share some news here today. And starting 1/11/14, I’ll be hosting The Gigspots Spotlight Showcase at Lancaster Dispensing Company (DipCo) on the second Saturday of every month! My tag line: “Two Regional Gems and a Local Treasure!”

Here’s the idea. I bring two acts to DipCo from a client venue of mine “out there.” I team them up with a local act you love but maybe in a different configuration than you’re used to seeing. There’s an all-jam at the end and we party till Fryth throws us out (in her nice way). You get introduced to new music, bands get introduced to bands they can swap gigs with, and I get to play the host. It’s a triple-play winner and will only set you back $5 at the door. I guarantee it will be worth it.

So where have I been Gigspotting? I was way overdue for a trip to the homeland so I went west over the mountains to Pittsburgh 11/8. Some friends treated me to a night in South Side and tickets to Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds at The Rex Theater. South Side is pretty hoppin’ and The Rex is an old movie theater done over right to become a great concert venue. Man, I love this band ever since I saw them play Long’s Park two summers ago. I have to say their current material is more bluesy and soulful and they are tighter than ever. Their brand new ep Fight proves it too. Love those horns, that harmonica and Arleigh’s mighty wailing. They pass through our area 1/30/14 at The Sellersville Theater and 2/01/14 Live at The Baby Grand in Wilmington, DE. I wanted them for Lancaster Roots and Blues. Maybe next year!

Three nights on the road kept me home for a few nights. I did slip across the river to Burning Bridge Tavern for a special Series 42 show 11/13: Connor Christian and Southern Gothic. No cover, melt-in-your-mouth smoked meats and a national touring act were impossible to pass up. Music starts at 8:30 so you can be headed home with ears and taste buds satisfied by 11! This band offers Southern rock with some real depth to it: more Marshall Tucker than Molly Hatchet for sure. I’m awaiting ok to post the videos I shot and recommending the brisket in the meantime.

I rented it to drive The Wayfarer Experiment and Harlot to a huge OneKoast Entertainment event in Baltimore. Harlot hails from The Rattler in Pittston and Lancaster was practically smack between the two. It gave me an excuse to hang with Harlot and Rattler owner James Callahan. They are splendid folks who have all but adopted The Wayfarer crew and man, do I love what happens when they all get together. So we sailed on down to hang with Pirate Rob and play his latest show at Rams Head Live. Called “Maryland’s Finest Volume IX,” I was proud to be arriving with two bands representing PA. The Kalob Griffin Band made it three out of thirteen acts not from MD. Trust me; Maryland is not running out of bands!

Pirate Rob finds bands. I’ve written often of shows he produces and the immense array of talent he presents. Here’s the bill (minus PA) from Volume IX and ANY ONE of these bands would have been worth the $10 to get in: Bond & Bentley, Sticky Longfingers, Outram, Daniel and the Lions, Old Indian, Shawn Owen, Bret Staymates, Dirk Schwenk and Peyhey’s Poppies. I’ve been proud to sponsor his Jam at the Dam series and never miss Pirate Rob’s Birthday Bash. That is, until this year. The Bash coincides with Lancaster Roots and Blues 2/21-22. Don’t for a second think I’m abandoning ship on Pirate Rob. Gigspots and OneKoast will continue together to promote and enliven the regional music scene for a long time. But as I said in my last blog, I live in Lancaster because of Rich Ruoff and his Chameleon Club circa 1988! Here’s something spooky; Rob, Rich and I all share 2/19 as our birthday! Rob’s the baby.

Cabinet touring now and just released Cabinet Live Set II. They play Lancaster Roots and Blues 2/21/14!

By 11/20 I was on a new three-part mission. Deliver The Wayfarer Experiment to Café 210 West in State College to open for Cabinet. Close the deal on making Café 210 West a Gigspots client venue. Convince Cabinet to play Lancaster Roots and Blues. And I went three for three! We got there and back in one piece and a five-piece version of the Experiment wowed the joint and their headliner. The bill they’d be joining and the significance of this inaugural event swayed Cabinet.

Cafe 210 West in State College PA is at 210 W. College Ave

And Café 210 West has joined the Gigspots family. This club is the birthplace of The Kalob Griffin Band and Memphis Hat among others and hosts national touring acts occasionally. My three biggest reasons for wanting them on the team? They offer great food and drinks scandalously cheap. They believe in and promote original music in a college town where that’s surprisingly rare. Their music venue makes bands look and sound great and many bands I work with tour right past there…for now. Count on it becoming a stop on I-80 Gigspots tours. Not bad for a Wednesday night! I saw a poster for Burning Bus hanging on the wall so Café 210 West has been doing it right for a while!

Friday night 11/22 was date night. I left the cameras at home and took the lovely Tina to DipCo for dinner. Vinegar Creek Constituency was playing and the night was pretty much perfect. We both wanted to come back Saturday night for Hexbelt but a day of laundry, grocery shopping, and last-chance yard work wore us out. We were hosting fifteen for Thanksgiving in just a few days so the night became perfect for pizza and a movie. Do you know the classic It Happened One Night?

Scantron on the big stage at WCL the Queen for WILMO Rock Circus

My brined turkey was a big hit. I golfed with pals on Black Friday (10 years running!). On Saturday it was out of town again. 11/30 was WILMO Rock Circus at World Café Live at the Queen in Wilmington, DE. Dude. This show rules. I cannot imagine this remarkable venue being used in a more creative, efficient or musical way. It’s 20+ bands in one night, in one building, on three stages. You know I love the Queen and it is 58 miles from my door. The event producers, Gable Music Ventures, have become great friends of mine and I have sponsored WILMO and their Ladybug Festival for two years now. They stage several shows a month at the Queen and like Pirate Rob, boy can they find the talent! I have them to thank for turning me on to John & Brittany, Glim Dropper, Angela Sheik, TJ McGlinchey, Brooks Long, Madalean Gauze, Maggie Gabbard and dozens of others. You will have the same experience if you attend one of their Singer-Songwriter nights at the Queen or the shows they produce across DE and MD. Roll with me sometime! Even a 90-minute drive gets old when you’re by yourself.

So November was pretty busy. December has started the same way. I made my first visit to Underground Arts in Philly 12/5 for a leg of the Communion Tour. Eight great bands and a “Toys for Tots” benefit made me like this place immediately. That night will need its own blog. Friday 12/6 I was visiting my client Abbey Bar at ABC Harrisburg and reintroducing Leo and Jeff (the VCC duo) to Mike Miz and the Greenbelt Events team. VCC opened for MiZ once in the Poconos and it’s time those bands started sharing gigs again. Greenbelt Events had just released Season Passes for sale to current pass holders. I had to renew mine; it’s the best investment I make every year! While I was there, I found out that The Hold Steady will be appearing there in February as part of a benefit for the K&L Guardian Foundation. Yeah, I still miss Jersey Mike.

I’m pretty certain I’ll be staying local for the rest of 2013. But maybe local means something different for me than it does for you. At least you know where I’ll be the second Saturday of every month next year. Stop out to DipCo 1/11/14 for my first Gigspots Spotlight Showcase and see what keeps me logging the miles.

Turn it off. It seems like a simple enough directive. Have I been able to turn it off while on vacation? Barely. My Facebook, Twitter, band and venue clients call to me like sirens. I might be spending my days crashing waves and eating slices but my mind can’t escape the music.

De Lazy Lizard bayside bar: 2nd Street OCMD

I love my family and friends and am grateful for this week to spend with them in leisure. But I can’t stop Gigspotting.

I left town with some hot loose ends that are haunting me. I coordinated a performance by Silencio at Zoetropolis Art House on 7/13 and didn’t get to see the show; we left town that morning. My friend Bjorn Jacobsen of The Wayfarer Experiment hosted the open mic at Shank’s Tavern in Marietta on Tuesday. I hated to miss that! Matt Wheeler played WCL at the Queen Wednesday night after my urging him to connect with Gable Music Ventures’ Singer-Songwriter series. Missed it. Today, Thursday 7/18/13, is The Ladybug Music Festival in the streets of Wilmington, DE. My banner will be flying over the Xtreme Pizza stage. Awesome women musicians will be in the spotlight from 5-11pm and the streets will be filled with vendors and music lovers. I will only be there in spirit.

So what am I spotting in OCMD? Boy, am I seeing a lot of great cover bands! Our vacation home for the week is triangulated between two great bars: Caribbean Pool Bar on the boardwalk and De Lazy Lizard on the bay. Both have live music every night and great drink specials. At the Lizard, I saw Brandon Hardesty of Bumpin Uglies playing solo acoustic. Have you picked up a copy of their latest, Ninjah: Reggae Assassins? It’s phenomenal fun! It was great to be there just relaxing with friends and not working behind my camera. Tonight we might slip up to 45th Street Taphouse to catch a set by Bond and Bentley. But first, it will be a seafood feast and some go-cart racing.

So I’m turning it off for now. I’ll be back in central PA to stir the pot Saturday night and Sunday brings Dawes back to Long’s Park Summer Concert Series. I hope to visit my new outrageous pals at The Rattler in Pittston mid-week. Then it’s Toy Soldiers at Chameleon Thursday and three glorious days of the XPoNential Music Festival in Camden. Count on me catching some central PA bands on those wonderful stages, namely The Districts and The Stray Birds. Saturday night I get to see The Lumineers with my daughter. The festival culminates Sunday night with Bob Dylan, Wilco, My Morning Jacket and other great acts on the AmericanaRama Tour. It can’t be much bigger or better than that!

Spring has flown by but not without dropping a pile of great shows in my lap! I talked about the wonderful LAUNCH weekend in a recent blog. I have seen plenty of other shows that I wanted to put on your radar. Three of my favorites are back in town this Saturday!

Lauren Mann and The Fairly Odd Folk will play with Canyon and The Pig Merchants this Saturday 6/1 at The Candy Factory in Lancaster. The show starts at 7pm so don’t plan on rolling in around 10. You will have missed a phenomenal night! Here’s Lauren and company tearing up DipCo to close LAUNCH!

They didn’t play LAUNCH but The Wayfarer Experiment is leading the charge as my pick for 2013 central PA band of the year. I have 6-7 Wayfarer shows under my belt already and am psyched to see them at DipCo Friday 5/31! They just released a new album and it continues their dark folk/gypsy blues saga. Friday is Bjorn’s birthday so you know this show will be memorable! This compelling three-piece might be 4-6 members on any given night so show up and witness the experiment unfolding.

Also this Friday 5/31 is an incredible show at Chameleon with massive local talents The Districts and The Seeds plus Philly faves Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang and Cheers Elephant. I have seen all four of these bands and they rock! You can see videos of most on my YouTube channel. The Stonewall Vessels also appear and I’m anxious to check them out.

Here’s a special shout-out to The Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Company for hosting great shows and serving great food and beer! Notable shows I have seen there this spring include Dirk Quinn Band, Andy Mowatt Trio and Start Making Sense: a Talking Heads tribute.

The Wayfarer Experiment

Dirk Quinn Band at Abbey Bar

I loved DQB as house band for the Tri State Indie Music Awards this year and it was fantastic to see them playing whole sets of songs vs. just between awards. Andy Mowatt is a jazz-rock flamethrower on guitar; see his trio immediately! As for Start Making Sense: holy cow! If you never got the chance to see Talking Heads or just want to relive that experience, here is your ticket. I will be rolling to The Abbey Thursday 5/30 to see The Wood Brothers if anyone loves folk and wants to join me! I just keep saying it; my season pass to Abbey Bar/Greenbelt Event shows is the best investment I make every year. And yes, six months later, I’m still mourning the passing of Mike Van Jura. Kudos to Sarah, Alec and Ben for keeping Greenbelt vibrant!

Last week’s show at Chameleon with The Slackwater News and Marco Benevento was pure pleasure-dome stuff! Most locals know Slackwater and they draw a big, fun crowd for a lot of reasons. Marco creates these sonic soundscapes that just transport your ass to another plane. If you missed the show, I have videos up but they are just a tease of the experience. See Marco. Period. He plays Abbey Bar 2-3 times a year. And cheer on The Slackwater News as they expand their play-zone to New Hope (Triumph Brewing) and State College (The Shell).

May moved the Music Friday series outdoors and Toy Soldiers was the perfect kickoff act! Stay tuned to MOOSE for complete events schedules. Keys For the City has again filled our town with beautiful, original pianos/works of art; thank you sponsors and players! Long’s Park will kickoff its summer concert series and yes, Dawes is coming back! We are truly blessed to have so many live music opportunities here in Lancaster!

Three notable album releases (besides the new Wayfarer Ex) are Lovebettie, Bumpin’ Uglies and The Great Socio. My love of Lovebettie is no secret. Bumpin Uglies are a reggae-rock band from MD who now tour nationally and are currently #5 and climbing on the iTunes reggae chart. See them and you’ll know why I love them too. The Great Socio is a nearly indescribable prog-rock band with no guitar player. When I first heard their last cd, I thought the band must have at least 6-7 members. Nope. It’s four dudes who are all-in on every song and all about getting you off! I will be rolling to see The Great Socio and PASADENA at WCL The Queen in Wilmington 6/6 and I’m looking for company. Call me and call shotgun! And if you really want a taste of the Gigspotter life, get your tickets soon for Jam at the Dam July 6th! I’ll be hosting The Gigspots Lawn Stage smack in the middle of 50 acres of beauty and 800 very happy campers!

I hope you’re not sick of year-in-review lists! 2012 flew by for me and for the Gigspots.com team! I’ll try to be brief in highlighting some of the amazing events, people and places who shared their lives with us this year.

My first shows of 2012 were Darry Miller and The Veil at The Boondocks Club and Kalob Griffin Band at Lancaster Dispensing Company. My last show of 2012 was KGB and Darry at Chameleon Club. Both bands enjoyed banner years, earned many new fans and rocked throughout the tri-state area. I predict fantastic 2013’s for both bands!

Boondocks Club is gone: victim of ASCAP strong-arming. DipCo remains the same: great food, great entertainment and all your friends are there. Chameleon Club staged some of my favorite shows of 2012 and even let me stage a show in October. I’m glad I know where it is; there isn’t even a light over the front door.

Some notable bands emerged in our scene in 2012. The Stray Birds, The Districts, Face for Radio, The Wayfarer Experiment, Glim Dropper, John and Brittany, The Great Socio, Rigby in the Box and Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang were some of our favorites. The quality, quantity and variety of music styles in our region never fail to impress but 2012 was extra special.

I lost a favorite cousin and a favorite aunt in 2012 but neither of them hit me like the sudden, unexpected death of “Jersey” Mike Van Jura. Harrisburg, the music scene and human society lost a strong advocate for right, reason and rock with his passing. We are very pleased and proud to announce that our partnership with The Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Company and Greenbelt Events will continue through 2013 and beyond! Yes, I bought another season pass and expect it to be the best $100 I spent in 2013 just as it was in 2012.

Tellus 360 deserves special mention as a remarkable place to see live music! Their special evenings have grown from organic, table-top, byo sessions into ticketed events. The Shovels and Rope opening night and Carsie Blanton with Joe Fletcher show were two of my favorites anywhere in 2012: intimate, raucous, unforgettable. We will be watching their plans for 2013 with eagle eyes and eager hearts!

We are very pleased to announce that both World Café Live venues (Philly and Wilmington, DE) have joined the Gigspots family! We also added The Burning Bridge Tavern in Wrightsville to our network and we’re plum crazy about the place! The food, drinks and service are fantastic and we’re very impressed with the array of live music you staged in your first year! Keep up the good work!

Thank you to all the bands who joined Gigspots in 2012; we will work hard to help you achieve your goals this year. Remember to keep your calendar updated and keep the event invitations coming! We typically must choose from 10-12 shows in the region on any given Friday or Saturday. Make sure we know about yours!

For the seventeen years I taught high school English, I handed out Dum-Dums and Smarties on test days. I learned this from psychologist and model teacher Dr. Peggy Forsythe on the day of our first test in a memorable educational psychology class. How many I handed out is anybody’s guess. I remember a student noticing that you could save Dum-Dum labels and earn prizes. He said, “Jeez, Campbell. You could save for a year and get, like, a car or something.”

I left public education for many reasons: mostly personal. I miss the dynamics of the classroom and the energy of teens. I promised myself that Gigspots.com would serve young people and provide them with opportunities to have fun and satisfy their curiosities. I am about to launch an internship program at York College and hope to expand it to my alma mater, Millersville University.

But really it’s about the music. I worry that young people aren’t getting enough chances to connect with live music. Downloading songs and sharing playlists cannot compare to sharing a concert experience with friends. I created Gigspots to help young people (and the young at heart) find concerts and destinations that they could enjoy and afford. I’m finding plenty of bands, destinations and discounts. What I need is feedback. I know what I like. I need to know what you like. Are we still connected?

Begin by Liking my Gigspots Facebook page. When I post something you like, Like it. When you hear a band you think is great, post a link on my page and Share generously. Name the bands you want to see and I will move mountains to get a local show set up. Please visit my website to check the concert calendar and watch some of the over 500 videos posted on my YouTube channel. I need your visits, clicks, comments, Likes and Shares.

I was glad to hand out all that candy. I was happy to attend your sporting events, plays, concerts, musicals, recitals and galleries. I wrote your letters of recommendation, coached you, tutored you and lent an ear when you needed to talk. You loved sharing your music and discussing your interests in my classroom. I’m still listening and still trying to serve you. I need your feedback.

If you are not a former student, I need your feedback too. While I was serving our posterity in the classroom, I surely missed some good stuff. Share it with me and I will share it with them. We can all teach and learn together. Music makes fear go away!

The last few weekends have really brought into focus the fact that I need help! Have you ever tried to pitch a six-man tent by yourself? How about shoot videos and still pics at the same time? How about be in five places at once? I had a ball but ran myself ragged at @Jam at the Dam 7/7. This weekend I am invited to shows in Lancaster, York, Marietta, Bethlehem, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Rehoboth Beach. I can barely keep up with the Facebook and Twitter traffic, let alone be at all these shows at once.

That’s where you come in. You live in these places, love live music and use these social medias. Would you like to lend a hand?

I am seeking some dedicated Facebookers and Tweeters to help administrate my accounts. All you need to do is Like, Share/Retweet and Comment on the music, event and travel news you are already following. I would love to make you an Admin on my Gigspots page!

I have an Internship position posted at York College of PA and am working to get one posted at Millersville, F&M, Wilkes, Pitt and Temple. Does your major require an internship? If you are majoring in Business, Communications, Music Industry, Travel/Tourism or some other related field, Gigspots.com might have the position you’ve been looking for. Here’s the description.

Gigspots.com Intern Position Description

Thanks you for your interest in Gigspots.com! Gigspots.com is a sole-proprietor, web-based, start-up company built to provide its internet audience with the resources to find, preview and access bands, live music venues and travel discounts in PA, MD, DE and NJ. The website was launched in April, 2011. It is linked to a Facebook page and Twitter account and has its own blog and YouTube channel. Gigspots.com also has begun to stage and promote its own concerts beginning with a concert at The Boondocks Club, York Haven, PA, in February of 2012.

The company’s mission is to provide the resources described above and to grow as a presence both on the internet and in the mid-Atlantic region. Tourism drives a large part of the region’s economy and we seek to fill the niche for people who enjoy making live music part of their travel experiences. Our region is brimming with talented musicians and live music venues that complement the many attractions that already draw millions of visitors.

You will report directly to and work with owner Sam Campbell. Your performance evaluation will be based on several criteria including:

Ability to complete duties as described in a timely, responsible manner

Professionalism and conviviality in communications with clients/social networking

Creativity and enthusiasm in development/implementation of marketing tools

Accountability for company equipment and merchandise

Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and resume to Sam@gigspots.com. They should have a Facebook account, reliable transportation, a personable demeanor and a genuine interest in live music, tourism, travel and/or social marketing and business development.

As for clones: does the world really need more of me running around? I would do almost anything to help my friends in the music/arts/entertainment/tourism businesses but not at the risk of ruining these communities I serve. So forget the clones. But consider joining my cause. What if the music stopped?

For many people, the winter holidays provide them the best opportunities to visit family and friends. I do best in the summer. Many of my friends are former teacher colleagues and former students. Many are friends of my youth and we now combine our families for summer vacations. Golf and fishing buddies come out of hibernation. Schedules loosen and neighborhood cookouts and cocktail parties happen much more spontaneously. My block is recognized as the garage-hangout capital of the neighborhood.

The heat simmers up the love! Yes, it’s been two weeks since I blogged. Again. Wish I could just push a few keys and bring you all with me! It’s been great to see many new and familiar friends as I follow bands and enjoy the bounty that Lancaster offers us in the summer. This time, I was off the grid with up to 38 friends old and new throwing a little mountain-house party I call Loyalstock. It’s our 17-acre summer decompression chamber. So since I’m back in town, let me throw a few shout-outs to the folks making my summer sizzle!

Thanks to Mike Males and MyRuralRadio.com for York County’s first camp out-music festival: Genesis Fest was a genuine success!

Thanks to Mike Van Jura, Greenbelt Events.com and The Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co for the Season Pass Holder appreciation show with Simone Felice and for the amazing summer of shows to date! That pass is the best $100 I spent all year!

Thank you to Steve and Trinette for letting all my rowdy friends invade your mountain home for a week of Loyalstock! Thank you to all who attended; you are wonderful, gracious guests and a ton of fun to party and jam with! Thank you Nick Schucker of NAS Sound and Entertainment for ridiculously great sound and lights at Loyalstock. Thanks to my best man Ward Smith who again won the prizes for distance traveled and hours jamming. You can play anything with anyone!

I will post more frequently in July and will add in links to all the pics and videos I have collected. Tomorrow I head for Weatherly, PA to cover DNL’s Jam @ the Dam: 35 bands for $30 and draft beer is included. I should have plenty to say about Pirate Rob’s event if I survive it! Other upcoming highlights include Cabinet at Chameleon Club Friday July 13 and WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival July 20-22. Seizure later!

Yikes! Two weeks since my last post here! I directed my writing energies last week to TriStateIndie.com and FigLancaster.com. I did fulfill my Gigspots duties of attending and filming shows and posting the videos. And now I’m back with plenty to say and HD evidence; great shows are happening all around us both indoors and out!

The first-ever Genesis Fest in York Haven, PA was a huge party with a kickin’ live soundtrack. Mike Males and MyRuralRadio.com staged bands outdoors from noon until 9pm on the seventeen acre property of The Boondocks/Halloween Park. There were food and craft vendors, amusements/play areas for the kids and a booth run by Naylor Winery; their KeWe, a white table wine infused with kiwi, was lip-smacking good over ice! The whole atmosphere reminded me of a family reunion at a rock-and-roll amusement park. After dark, epic York jam-band Dr. Slothclaw played the day’s final set in the nightclub.

I arrived too late for many of my favorite MRR artists: Lone Wolf Project, J.D. Sage and The Dagnabbits, The High Point Ramblers to name a few. I did get to see American Hollar, Darry Miller and The Veil, and Dr. Slothclaw. I have videos posted from their sets. Luckily, Elephant Shoes photographer Jodi Griffin agreed to share some of her work from the day. Nice shooting, Jodi!

I left too early to really appreciate the 100+ campsites on the property’s island but I could see the bonfires the whole drive out of the valley. Allegedly, one end of the island was up cooking until 4am. And I don’t mean pancakes.

It’s been two weeks since that show and it’s sticking with me. Last night was another beauty: under the stars on the Long’s Park lawn with Mia Borders! This coming Sunday, it’s a folkie double-header with Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion.

If live music is best (it is), then live music outdoors might be the best of the best. So what’s to keep you from getting to an outdoor show while it’s fit to be outdoors? There’s a FREE show at Long’s Park every Sunday evening from now until September; the same is probably true for some park in your vicinity. If not, I guarantee there are some very fun and affordable festivals nearby. Here are some that really stand out to me as remarkable artists gathered in memorable places. Wanna live a little?

Gathering of the Vibes July 19-22 in Bridgeport, CN. Wavy Gravy hosts; need I say more? MiZ is in! This might be the most complete fest with every style of music and huge talent!

WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival (July 20-22). The best fest for friends, neighbors and members like you. Join the station, get discount passes and Wilco/Avett Bros/Dr/ Dog tix included with your pass. A no-brainer, must-go weekend that makes the world a better place!

SummerFest in Milwaukee is the nation’s oldest, biggest fest and July 4th concert. Our friends Lovebettie are playing the main stage this year!

I like outdoor music so much, I throw a three-day party in the mountains just to have some. We build a stage and everything. The events I have listed here barely scratch the surface of what’s out there but you get the idea. It’s summer! Get outside and shake the dust off that thing! Your soundtrack awaits!